2024-25 Annual Report

Annual Report 2024-2025

President’s Message

Dear Friends

I have been proud to serve as President of the State University of New York at Old Westbury for more than four years, and to lead our University to grow, thrive and reach new milestones.

The 2024-2025 year was another exciting one for Old Westbury. We opened the year by welcoming the largest class of first-year students in the campus’ history. We closed the year at Commencement by celebrating the success of more than 1,000 new members of our Panther alumni family.

Here you will find a summation of some of the major news and achievements made during the 2024-2025 year on our campus. While lengthy, this is not a complete picture of all that is accomplished by our students, faculty and staff.

Since its earliest days, Old Westbury focused its attention on issues related to justice, fairness, and the role we all must play in advocating for those concepts in our everyday lives. While times have changed, and the approaches we employ have evolved, the need for all of us to be mindful of these critical issues has never been greater.

At SUNY Old Westbury, we use “Own Your Future” as a statement about what our students set out to do through their education – to set their own direction and to be what they believe they can be, not what someone else tells them. We also believe “Own Your Future” is an active challenge to our students – don’t let the world happen to you, take ownership, use your intelligence to make the changes that society requires.

You’ll find evidence of those commitments chronicled in this report and, even more importantly, occurring on our campus every day in ways large and small.

As we move into a new year, we will bring into focus the campus’ new five-year strategic plan and, with it, new efforts to enhance our emphasis on student success and new opportunities to elevate further SUNY Old Westbury.

I am proud of what we have accomplished as a campus. I am even more excited as I look forward to successes we will experience in the year ahead.

Sincerely, Timothy E. Sams President

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On Campus

SUNY Old Westbury welcomes largest first year class

Groundbreaking celebrates expansion, improvements

As classes began in August 2024, SUNY Old Westbury welcomed a class of first-year students larger than ever before. The 2024-25 incoming class consisted of 800 firstyear students, representing nearly 10 percent growth over the 2023-24 year and besting the campus’ previous peak of 751 in 2018.

Bringing the latest in teaching and research to students in the sciences is the clear goal for what will be an improved, larger Natural Science Building at SUNY Old Westbury.

“We see this achievement as further proof that our academic offerings, coupled with a campus community focused on student success and our commitment to justice and equity, are the right fit for students who today want to be prepared for the work and world that lies ahead of them,” said President Timothy E. Sams.

Old Westbury’s new students were selected from a pool of nearly 7,800 first-year student applicants, an increase of more than 11 percent over the prior fall.

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In conjunction with an announcement from New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, the campus broke ground on an expected $200 million renovation and expansion of its science facility in February 2025.

Attending the ceremonial groundbreaking on campus were SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Meryl Tisch, SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., and SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Capital Projects Robert Haelen, along with more than 100 members of the campus and local community.

The project will turn the 40-year-old building into the 70,000-square-foot center of science learning and research

the campus needs, featuring modernized teaching laboratories, a new campus greenhouse, and collaboration spaces for teaching and co-curricular activities.

External rankings, honors continue SUNY Old Westbury throughout the year earned kudos from external media, educational and environmental organizations for the quality of its programs, their impact on students, the campus’ commitment to the environment. Among the honors earned in 2024-2025 were: • Abound, the online college guidance system for degreeseeking adults, again named SUNY Old Westbury to its exclusive list of the nation’s Best Colleges for Adults.

• U.S. News & World Report for the fifth straight year featured SUNY Old Westbury in rankings for the impact and commitment the campus has for the social mobility of its students with ranking of ninth among Universities in the Northeast.

• For the seventh consecutive year, SUNY Old Westbury was named a winner of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• SUNY Old Westbury earned a Military Friendly® School Silver designation for its efforts in creating meaningful education paths for the military community.

• Washington Monthly named the campus a 2024 “Best Bang for the Buck” college in its national rankings.

• The Arbor Day Foundation again recognized the campus as a Tree Campus in 2024 for its dedication to enhancing community well-being through tree education, investment, and community engagement. The 2024 designation marks the sixth time SUNY Old Westbury has been named a Tree Campus.

African King visits campus An African king making his first visit to the United States since his coronation in 2021 took time to visit with students and faculty at SUNY Old Westbury in September 2024. His Majesty Mouhammad-Nabil Mforifum Mbombo Njoya, the sultan king

of the Bamum, a pre-colonial African state that now makes up part of northwest Cameroon, participated in a public interview with Professor of History Dr. Sylvie Kande.

During the interview, he shared his thoughts about the legacy he hopes to leave as King, the importance of recording and sharing histories of the African people, and how today’s students can best prepare themselves for the global community of which they are a part.

During the campus visit, King Njoya and the delegation members from Bamoun held discussions with campus administrative and student leaders. Future discussions are expected to lead to the development of student exchange, faculty research and other educational opportunities between the campus and educational institutions serving the Bamoun.

‘Stay on Long Island’ scholarships renewed, launched President Timothy E. Sams gathered in May 2025 with the leaders of Nassau Community College and Suffolk County Community College to sign agreements that will enable three students annually from each community college who have earned their associates degrees to receive two-year, halftuition “Stay on Long Island Scholarships” to attend SUNY Old Westbury.

The new agreements represent a renewal of SUNY Old Westbury’s agreement with Suffolk County Community College, which was first awarded in in fall 2014, and an initiation of the scholarship with Nassau Community College.

Funding for the scholarships is being provided by the Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc.

Making ‘The Dream’ Come True Donald Graham, co-founder of TheDream.US, the largest scholarship and career program for undocumented youth in the nation, visited SUNY Old Westbury to meet with students receiving support through the program.

The students enjoyed a small group conversation with Graham and Hyein Lee, chief operating officer of TheDream.

US. During the session, they reviewed the students’ experiences at Old Westbury, the resources available to them through TheDream.US, and their shared and individual concerns following the latest federal and state elections.

SUNY Old Westbury became a college partner in TheDream.

US in the fall of 2022 and welcomed recipients of TheDream.

US support in both fall 2023 and fall 2024.

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Academics

Public health program earns re-accreditation The Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health offered by the Public Health Department achieved a seven-year reaccreditation, through 2031, from the Council on Education for Public Health, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

This marks the first accreditation renewal since the program earned its initial approval in 2019. Old Westbury’s degree is one of fewer than 30 standalone degrees in the nation to hold CEPH accreditation.

The reaccreditation process required Public Health and the University to conduct a thorough self-study, starting in 2022, with the collaboration of faculty, staff, students and community partners. In April 2024, a CEPH team visited the campus to review the report and meet with various stakeholders.

3+3 law program established The University at Buffalo School of Law and SUNY Old Westbury announced an agreement for a 3+3 joint degree program that will give Old Westbury students the opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree and a law degree in six rather than seven years.

M.S. in Healthcare Management to launch Targeting the need for more professional managers within the every-expanding healthcare field, the School of Business announced a new Master of Science program in Healthcare Management. The first class of students in the program enrolled for Fall 2025.

Offered as a 30-credit program, the M.S. in Healthcare Management program can be completed in one year of fulltime study. The culminating experience for all students will be “Strategic Healthcare Management,” a supervised research project capstone. Through the capstone, students conduct a case study examining a health care organization applying the management, operational, and financial skills they’ve learned to a real-world setting.

With a relatively short one-year course of study and the program being offered at the low cost of SUNY tuition, the Old Westbury M.S. in Healthcare Management stands as a more affordable vehicle for a greater number of talented students and professionals in the region.

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In this accelerated degree program, Old Westbury students earn credits to complete the final year of their undergraduate degree during their first year of law school at UB School of Law, saving a year of tuition and expenses associated with the traditional seven-year pathway to a Juris Doctorate.

The 3+3 pathway is open to students majoring in four undergraduate programs at SUNY Old Westbury: Politics, Economics and Law, English, Philosophy and Religion, and American Studies.

Education faculty featured at national ‘convening’ School of Education Dean Dr. Diana Sukhram, Associate Professor of Exceptional Education and Learning Dr. Lina Gilic, Associate Professor of Adolescence Education Dr. Xavier Marechaux, and Assistant Professor of Exceptional Education and Learning Dr. Shalinie Sarju participated in the BranchED’s 2024 Transformation Center Convening.

They were joined by representatives of the Hempstead School District: Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Rodney Gilmore and Director of Student Support Services

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Cynthia Moore-Drayton. SUNY Old Westbury and Hempstead Schools were announced in December 2023 as members of the fifth national BranchEd transformation center cohort.

Introductory Biological Sciences Courses as a Pathway to Mentored Research” is a two-year effort funding via a $199,912 grant from the National Science Foundation’s STEM Education program.

Supported through a $300,000 grant from BranchEd, the partnership enabled each organization to join a unique community of practice where each institution’s faculty, staff, and leadership and their respective school district partners access enhanced resources and professional development, network with others, share data, and learn from each other to move forward with sustainability and innovation

Led by Dr. Kinning Poon and Dr. Christos Noutsos, both assistant professors of Biological Sciences and the principal investigators on the project, Old Westbury faculty members in the fall developed interactive 3D-printed learning materials to enhance conceptual understanding, created open educational resources to reduce textbook costs, and planned for a summer research experience program to expose students to mentored research.

3D printing motivates Bio students

In the spring, students enrolled in the Basic Biological Science II course designed and created their own 3D models on topics from the second semester of the introductory course.

A new instructional method took hold in introductory biology classes on campus: Listen, observe, discuss, research … and 3D print!

“Building Bridges: Pedagogical Enhancement of the

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All project materials and findings from the effort, both faculty and student, are being openly licensed and shared worldwide to facilitate replication and adaptation at other institutions.

New graduate pathway in Public Health Graduates of the Bachelor of Science program in Public Health have a new pathway for graduate study through a new admissions agreement leading to the Master of Public Health program at Stony Brook University.

Under this agreement, up to four Old Westbury Public Health graduates who maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher will receive guaranteed admission annually at Stony Brook University and their application fees will be waived.

The first group of Old Westbury students who enter under this agreement will be accepted and enrolled in the Stony Brook MPH program as early as fall 2025.

Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society inaugurated The School of Business welcomed four business professionals into its new Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society in September 2024.

The campus’ Beta Gamma Sigma chapter was chartered on the same date, with the campus becoming eligible for a chapter after the School earned accreditation from AACSB International in August 2023.

During the campus’ 2024 Installation and Recognition Ceremony four new honor society members were recognized – one recent graduate and three accomplished supporters of the School who were inducted with Chapter Honoree Awards. The 2024 inductees were Pooja Aiyar ’24; Maleka C. Stephens ’95 (awarded posthumously), co-founder, SMG Consulting Group; Patrick Stines ‘98, partner, Novak Francella, LLC; and David Antar, chief executive officer, Advance Convergence Group.

OW a founder in SUNY Institute for Local News A Media and Communications professor was among 14 statewide selected to develop new programs to address news deserts and struggling news outlets through the new SUNY Institute for Local News.

Assistant Professor Özgür Akgün will serve as a faculty “champion” within the Institute, which will operate in partnership with the Center for Community News and serves as the first statewide program of its kind in the United States.

Local, worldwide scientists attend Physics conference Stimulating new projects and collaborations through a shared interest and commitment to theoretical physics was the goal of the second annual “Holography, QCD, and the EIC Physics Conference,” organized and hosted in June 2025, by the faculty teaching in the B.S. in Physics program.

The conference brought together experts on the ElectronIon Collider, being built at Brookhaven National Laboratory, with experts on Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Chromodynamics, and applied holography.

Along with SUNY Old Westbury researchers, the two-day gathering featured academics from local institutions, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, City University of New York and Stony Brook University. International and national scholars also participated, including those representing Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; The University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Ben Gurion University of Negev, Israel, and the University of Ghent, Belgium.

Topics discusses during the conference included “Thermalization from quantum entanglement in highenergy collisions,” “Quantum entanglement meets symmetries and defects,” “EFT for electrodynamics in general media and Chiral anomalous MHD,” and “2D Orbifold CFTs and Covering Surfaces.”

Innovations, impacts of JFVP The innovative educational experiences available through The Justice for Fraud Victims Project at SUNY Old Westbury were been put in the spotlight by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the world’s largest anti-fraud organization.

David Glodstein, director the JFVP and associate professor of Accounting, was interviewed about the project in a recent AFCE informational video, titled “The Justice for Fraud Victims Project: How Students are Fighting Financial Crime.”

Through the JFVP, students work on real fraud cases, helping victims who can’t afford professional forensic accounting services and has led for some graduates to careers with the IRS, FBI and Homeland Security.

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Student Achievements

Students win SUNY Chancellor’s Awards Two seniors from the State University of New York at Old Westbury were among those celebrated when SUNY Chancellor John King announced the winners of the.

SUNY Old Westbury students Michael Costarelli ‘25 and Timothy Coventry ’25 were named 2025 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence recipients, the highest honor bestowed upon students in the statewide system. The Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence recognize students for outstanding achievements throughout their SUNY experience in areas including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts.

Costarelli, a Politics, Economics and Law major, was a U. S. Army veteran who transferred to campus in fall 2023. He later earned membership Tau Sigma National Honor Society, which recognizes academic excellence among transfer students. In addition to his coursework, he was active with the campus’ Center for Excellence in Veteran Student Success where he supported other veterans as they pursue their studies and manage their lives and experiences both on and off campus.

Coventry, a Media and Communications major, was also, a fall 2023 transfer student. He developed a deep involvement in student media on campus. He served as a reporter and anchor for the Old Westbury Media Innovation Center, as

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well as a reporter and anchor at OWWR – Old Westbury Web Radio. He had earned in 2024 a FOLIO Award from the Fair Media Council and was as a winner in 2025 competition as well for works produced at the Media Innovation Center on campus.

Bioinformatics student earns top prize Solomon Theo Scheiner ‘25, a senior majoring in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, won first prize for an oral presentation about his undergraduate research during the annual meeting of the Northeast Section of the American Society of Plant Biologists, held in April 2025, at the University of New Hampshire.

Scheiner offered insights into his work in a presentation titled “Evolution of Insertions Mitochondrial and Plastid DNA in the Nuclear Genome Across Arabidopsis thaliana Ecotypes.” In collaboration with Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Christos Noutsos, Scheiner utilized bioinformatic techniques to identify insertions of mitochondrial and plastid DNA within the nuclear genome of 80 plant species. The study contributes to continually developing understanding of genome evolution and endosymbiotic theory.

Mentoring Group Honors OW Students A curious mind, outstanding work ethic and networking prowess all contributed to the selection of Jahnavi Gayle ‘25 and Gillian Marcel’25 as winners of the 2024 Purple Pump Award.

Presented by the Moxxie Mentoring Foundation, Inc., the Purple Pump Award is given to mentors and mentees who excel through the organization’s professional and personal development programs. The awards were presented during the organization’s “Emerald Summit” luncheon in October 2024.

Gayle, a Professional Studies major and Marcel, a Psychology major, took part during the 2024-2025 academic year in the organization’s Jr. Moxxie program, an exclusive mentoring program that pairs seasoned businesswomen with college students and offers them personal and professional development opportunities through field trips, webinars and networking events.

Student journalists take part in national initiative Election Day 2024 served as a prime example of the campus’ effort to provide students applied, real-world experiences as the student-broadcasters of OWWR-Old Westbury Web Radio engaged as part of Student News Live — a global coalition of high school and college journalism programs that covered the election in a 24-hour online broadcast simulcast by iHeartRadio and PBS News Student Reporting Labs.

SUNY Old Westbury took center stage between 4-4:30 p.m. on November 5, 2024, with a live national broadcast that included a discussion among Dr. Thomas DelGiudice, associate professor of Politics Economics and Law; Dr. Martha Livingston, professor of Public Health, Gabrielle Gambuzza’25, OWWR production director, Vincent Arroyo’24, executive editor of the campus’ student newspaper, The Catalyst, and Patrec-Alexander JonesBrown’26, OWWR program director.

On the morning of November 6, 2024, from 8-9 a.m., Media and Communications major Timothy Coventry’25 was featured on the Student News Live national broadcast breaking down national, state and local races.

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Faculty & Staff Achievements

Dr. Kyle Anderson, associate professor of History & Philosophy, completed a book tour in Cairo, Egypt, supporting the bestselling Arabic translation of his book on the Egyptian Labor Corps.

Dr. Carolina Bustamante, associate professor jointly appointed to the Modern Languages and Adolescence Education departments, delivered a presentation at the International Association of Applied Linguistics World Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With a colleague, she also published a chapter, “Multiliteracies Across Teaching Contexts: Middle and Secondary Education,” in The Routledge Handbook of Multiliteracies for Spanish Language Teaching.

Dr. Laura Chipley and Dr. Samara Smith, associate professors of American Studies/Media & Communications, participated in the Interactive Film and Media Conference 2024, presenting “Experimental Embodiment: Designing Ecological Spaces and POVs in Virtual Reality,”

Dr. Jacqueline Emery, associate professor of English, co-authored “Finding Flaco: Our Year with New York City’s Beloved Owl,” a photo book about the Eurasian eagle-owl who in 2023 escaped his long-time enclosure at Central Park Zoo and who for the next year resided in and around Central Park. The book won gold medals in the Art & Photography and Animal & Pet categories from The Independent Book Publishers Association and a silver medal in the Nature & Environment category.

The work also was the subject of a profile in The New York Times.

Dr. Fernando Espinoza, professor jointly appointed to the Chemistry and Physics and Adolescence Education departments, had his research included as a chapter in the book, “Educational Research and the Question(s) of Time,” published by Springer.

Fred Fleisher, assistant professor of Visual Arts, was included in the exhibition “Unfinished Revolutions” at the Raynham Hall Museum in New York City.

Monique Clark-Ciceron, co-director of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, earned the Dr. John Staley Award for Outstanding Service at the 25th annual Best Practices Conference of the Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP, Inc.

Dr. Linval Frazer, associate professor of accounting, offered his expertise through an article titled “Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards for Bad Credit” for WalletHub, the award-winning personal finance website.

Dr. Marty Cooper, associate professor of Psychology, was a presenter during the 2025 The International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Annual Conference in Athens, Greece.

He also offered insights into the role and benefits of Medical Payments Coverage, or “MedPay” for the award-winning personal finance WalletHub website.

John Friedman, associate professor of American Studies/Media and Communications, was a producer on “Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One),” a new film that premiered on PBS in February 2025. The film made its world premiere at the DOC NYC film festival in New York City in November 2024.

Dr. Jesse Curran, lecturer of English, was named the 2025 “Long Island Poet of the Year” by the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association. Dr. Curran was also during the year selected for inclusion within Long Island’s first Poetry Path, located in Northport, New York.

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Josh Fyman, assistant dean for assessment and data collection in the School of Education, presented “The Search for Validity: Engaging Your Personnel and Partners to Create Valid Instruments” at the annual conference for the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation.

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Laura Gallagher, administrative assistant in the School of Business, was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the Classified Service.

Dr. Rubén González, professor of Modern Languages, published an analysis of the “Tres vidas del Santurce antiguo,” by the novelist Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá, titled “Santurce, Memoria de Una Tierra Prometida” in Mapocho.

Karl Grossman, professor of American Studies/Media & Communications, received the Horace Mann Award from the Antioch College Alumni Association for his decades of service in investigative journalism.

Adele Gutierrez, a nurse in the Student Health Center, received the “2024 School Hero Award” from the Long Island Coalition Against Bullying.

Eric Hagan, associate professor of Visual Arts, showcased his sculptural installation “Cocoons” through the summer of 2025 during the 31st Avenue Open Streets in Queens, New York.

Dr. Curtis Holland, assistant professor of Sociology, was the keynote speaker at the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council’s “Together: Building a United Community” (T:BUC) Engagement Forum.

Dr. Danielle Lee, associate dean for academic institutes and programs in the School of Arts and Sciences and assistant professor of English, and Angela Wambugu Cobb, vice president for institutional advancement, were both among the emerging AfricanAmerican leaders named as fellows of the State University of New York’s Black Leadership Institute.

Dr. Xavier Maréchaux, associate professor of History & Philosophy and coordinator of graduate programs in History education, published his latest book, “Les prêtres réfractaires, l’Eglise contre la Révolution et l’Empire (1789-1815) [The Refractory Priests: The Church Against the Revolution and the Empire (1789-1815)].” The book, printed in French by Honoré Champion, reviews the history of priests who rejected the French Revolution.

Jerilyn Marinan, director of Career Planning & Development, presented at “Foundations for the Future: College and Career Readiness at Every Stage,” the Nassau Counselors’ Association 2025 Counselors, Administrators and Parents Conference.

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Dr. Fred Millán, distinguished service professor of psychology, was named a Fellow by the American Psychological Association , a recognition that his work has had a national impact on the field of psychology beyond a local, state or regional level.

Maria Moreno, assistant dean of students for community standards, presented research titled “The Importance of Mentoring Experiences for Underrepresented Students” at the 9th International Conference on Future of Teaching and Education in Vienna, Austria, and presented the same topic at the 14th Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities International Conference at Salamanca University, Salamanca, Spain.

Dr. Lorenz S. Neuwirth, professor of Psychology and Neuropsychology, was named one of 28 2025 Faculty Innovation Fellow, which led to his participation in an intensive nine-month experience designed to align education with industry needs, acquire critical skills to grow and sustain innovation and leadership skills. Dr. Neuwirth was also named a Fellow by the American Psychological Association , a recognition that his work has had a national impact on the field of psychology beyond a local, state or regional level. He also was named a winner of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.

Dr. Diana Papademas, associate professor of Sociology, presented her research, “Global Communications? The UN as Media Enterprise Moving Data,” in a symposium hosted by the American Sociological Association Section on Communications, Information, Technology, Media and Society. She also presented “Stewardship and Working Together for Equality and Justice” at the 2025 Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting while additionally presiding over a session titled “Activism and Advocacy for Environmental Justice.”

Dr. Carol Quirke, professor in the American Studies/ Media & Communications Department, published “Industry without Industry: Seeing Labor in the Fashion and Design Industries in Postwar New York City,” in the edited collection “Teaching Labor History in Art and Design: Capitalism and the Creative Industries,” published through Routledge.

Lisandra Ramos, special assistant to the president, administration and initiatives, and Martha Santana, vice president of business and finance and chief

financial officer, were among the emerging Hispanic leaders named as fellows of the State University of New York’s Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Dr. Nicole Sieben, associate professor jointly appointed in English and Adolescence Education, conducted five presentations centered on her research on “hope” during the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention.

Dr. Shalei Simms, dean of the School of Business, was a featured panelist during the 30th anniversary celebration of The PhD Project – a nationally recognized non-profit organization aimed at diversifying the business world by diversifying professors leading business school classrooms.

Dr. Blidi Stemn, associate professor and chair of the Childhood Education and Literacy Department, was among those researchers featured during the 56th Annual Liberian Studies Association Conference at Morgan State University.

Dr. Jessica Williams, assistant professor of English, was named the winner of the Ralph Donald Award Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Annual Conference, where she also presented “Voices: Embodied Incorporeality in Lucille Clifton’s Poetry.”

Other presentations duing the year included “Gabba

Gabba Hey: Joey Ramone, One of Us” at the Southwest Popular and American Culture Association Virtual Summer Salon, “‘No Shame, No Pride’: Queering Punk” at the Midwest Popular and American Culture Association Summer Conference, and “Enfreakment in (Transnational) North American Culture” at a conference organized by the Leipzig University Institute for American Studies in Germany.

Dr. Shameika Williams, assistant professor of Public Health, was one of six recipients of 2024 Minority Research Grant Program from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health. She earned funding to her work titled “Expanding Access to Perinatal Healthcare and Supportive Services that Address Social Determinants of Health.”

Dr. Cheryl Wilson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, was featured on a panel as part of the 2025 conference of the Eighteenth- & Nineteenth-Century British Women Writers Conference in Sioux Fall, South Dakota.

Hyewon Yi, assistant professor of Visual Arts and director of the Amelie A. Wallace Gallery, is curated “Layers of Invibility,” a show at PS122 Gallery in New York City.

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Advancement & Fundraising

Gala celebrates champions of education and community impact

Nearly 300 guests gathered in April for the 2025 Own Your Future Gala, hosted by the Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc., the not-for-profit dedicated to growing support for SUNY Old Westbury. Now in its second year, the gala served as both a celebration and a call to action, raising critical funds to enhance academic programs, student support, and campus initiatives at SUNY Old Westbury. The event also honored individuals and organizations whose leadership and advocacy continue to elevate the University’s mission.

Among the evening’s distinguished honorees was former New York State Governor David Paterson, who received special recognition for his unwavering commitment to higher education. TheDream.US, the nation’s largest college and career success program for immigrant students, was also celebrated for its transformative support of SUNY Old Westbury scholars. Hyein Lee, chief operating officer, accepted the award on behalf of the organization. Rounding out the honorees was Thomas DelGiudice, retired at the close of the academic year as an associate professor of Politics, Economics and Law, and whose more than 50-year legacy as a student, alumnus, and faculty member at the University left an indelible mark on the campus community.

investment in the educational futures of student from the New Cassel community.

Named in honor of the late Jeffrey M. Sissons, former CEO and father of Anthony, the scholarship will provide 10 deserving students with four-year awards of $10,000 annually. Designed to support those who fall through the cracks of traditional financial aid, the scholarship removes key barriers to higher education by covering tuition, fees, books, and transportation. Over the next 13 years, this initiative will open doors for students with demonstrated financial need, empowering them to pursue their academic dreams and build brighter futures.

The first recipient of the award, Alexa Santiago Munoz, was selected and will receive her first year’s award this Fall, 2025.

Increased scholarship support achieved The Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc. awarded 236 scholarships to students of SUNY Old Westbury during the 2024-2025 academic year.

“Ensuring that students have the tools and resources they need to successfully complete their education as SUNY Old Westbury, is central to the work of the Foundation.” said Foundation Chair Nora Bassett. “Increasing the number of scholarships, we provide not only helps our students, but helps us achieve our mission.”

During the 2024-25 academic year, new funds of $25,000 or more were created, including:

◼ Alonzo L. McCollum Memorial Endowment: created

in honor of the founding Director of SUNY’s Equal Opportunity Program (EOP). The fund will support the greatest needs of EOP students.

◼ Nerva Jean-Pierre Memorial Scholarship Fund:

created in honor of the dedicated alumnus and philanthropist. The scholarship will support students with an immigrant background.

◼ Arfa Faroque Khan( AFK) Endowment: created

by Foundation Board trustee. The fund will provide scholarships to students in need.

Local business invests in future with $400,000 commitment In a powerful tribute to legacy and community, Deer Park Recycling and its CEO, Anthony Sissons, have established the Jeffrey M. Sissons Memorial Scholarship -- a $400,000

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◼ Jeffrey M. Sissons Memorial Scholarship Fund:

created in honor of the local entrepreneur for his generosity and deep care for the community his business service. The fund will provide full tuition, four-year scholarships to students from the local community.

New alumni tradition builds culture of giving The Class of 2025 embraced a new tradition of philanthropy, with more than 25 percent of graduating students participating in the annual Class Gift Campaign. This initiative encourages SUNY Old Westbury’s newest alumni to make their first contributions to the University, helping to pave the way for future Panthers.

Gifts from the campaign will directly support studentfocused initiatives, ensuring that those following in their footsteps have access to the resources they need to succeed. As a symbol of their generosity and Panther pride, students who contributed $20.25 or more received a philanthropy cord and an “OW“ Alumni Pin to wear proudly at commencement, marking not just the end of their college journey, but the beginning of a lifelong connection to their alma mater.

Emeritus professor boosts CSTEP Award Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus Henry Teoh, the founder and former director of the campus’ Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program, wanted to ensure that excellence within the program was recognized at an even higher level than it was during his tenure.

While an “outstanding student” award had long been presented to stellar students, Teoh offered a generous gift that led to the renaming of the honor as “Dr. Henry Teoh Award for Outstanding CSTEP Graduating Senior.” A $1,000 annual award, The Teoh Award will be awarded to recognize exceptional achievement, leadership, and promise within the CSTEP. Melodie Cadichon ‘25, a Biochemistry major, was named the first recipient of the new award. Having completed her studies at Old Westbury, she is continuing her academic journey at Penn State University, where she will pursue an advanced degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Business and civic leaders join foundation board As part of its ongoing mission to strengthen SUNY Old Westbury, the Old Westbury College Foundation, Inc. welcomed two leaders to its Board of Trustees during the 2024–2025 fiscal year.

Empowering financial futures Thanks to continued partnership with M&T Bank, the Foundation received a renewed grant of $25,000 to advance financial literacy among students. This investment funds interactive workshops, a dynamic financial literacy competition, and stipends for instructors.

The goal of these initiatives is for students to gain practical financial skills and begin a lifelong journey of making informed decisions, both personally and professionally, by equipping them with essential tools for fncial success while fostering a culture of economic empowerment and responsibility.

Celebrating Connection: 2024 Homecoming The 2024 Homecoming was a celebration of school spirit and alumni connection, with the alumni tailgate emerging as the centerpiece of engagement for graduates across several generations.

Alumni from near and far gathered to reconnect over food, music, and shared memories, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and pride. The energy carried through the weekend with a concert featuring Fivio Foreign and networking events that deepened professional and personal ties.

This year’s Homecoming not only honored tradition but also strengthened the alumni community, making it one of the most memorable and impactful celebrations to date.

Joining the Foundation were Ralph Johnson, retired executive from ExxonMobil, and Walter Oden II, founder of Oden Development. Their combined expertise in business leadership and community development brings valuable insight and energy to the Foundation’s efforts.

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Campus Life PACE internships offer experience, support In support of SUNY’s goal to have all students experience an internship opportunity, the Path to Academic and Career Excellence Internship Program was launched in fall 2024 to provide students with these valuable professional experiences while contributing to the campus community.

Funded through incremental funding made available by SUNY and the New York State Governor, PACE internships are non-credit bearing and occur on campus with students paid for their work. Working up to 100 hours a semester, interns were placed in one of 14 departments across the campus.

In alignment with the overall SUNY goal, approximately half of the students participating were enrolled in degree programs where an internship is not a requirement.

New community living initiatives introduced The Office of Residential Life created five “community living initiatives” designed to house students alongside other residents who share similar interests and lifestyles.

The communities created include residences focused around Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), athletics, fraternity and sorority life and issues related to social and environmental justice. Gender-inclusive housing was also included, which is open to LGBTQ students and others regardless of gender identity.

Improving the Interfaith Center The Division of Student Affairs received an grant from SUNY of approximately $6,000 to support the Interfaith Center in the Student Union.

The grant supported the purchase of new furniture, including Wudu Stations installed in both female and male bathrooms.

This work corresponded to the implementation of an Interfaith Council for students and, in 2025-2026, the campus plans to invite local community members to participate in a Volunteer Interfaith Council.

‘Intern for a Day’ launched Students recently experienced their own variant of this adage — paint included — when they participated in “Intern for a Day at The Sherwin-Williams Company,” the first session in a new initiative offered by the Office of Career

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Planning & Development.

The student “interns” spent time meeting with professionals serving in a variety of functions, touring a retail store, and learning about the varied career and growth opportunities across the Sherwin-Williams organization.

The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in paints and coatings, with its more than 64,000 employees supplying a broad range of highly engineered solutions for the consumer, commercial, construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets in more than 120 countries around the world. Students from Old Westbury spent the day at the Mineola location of SherwinWilliams.

Voices added to 2024 World College Radio Day Old Westbury Web Radio, the campus radio station of SUNY Old Westbury, joined with more than 700 college radio stations from around the country and world to mark the 14th World College Radio Day on October 4, 2024.

Students and community members offered programming and conversation throughout the day on the station’s live, online broadcast. The day’s music and talk programming centered on this year’s World College Radio Day theme, “The Soundtrack of Democracy.”

OWWR, which has participated in World College Radio Day since its inception in 2011, streams audio aroundthe-clock, seven days a week. This year OWWR included a live video feed throughout the broadcast day. The station offers a variety format featuring an array of music, news, sports, talk, and public affairs programming.

Students gather for Supper Club

Fitness court prioritizes health and wellness

Tablecloth? Check. Cloth napkins? Check. Fresh flowers?

Check. Great food? Check. Interesting company? Check.

SUNY Old Westbury was selected from hundreds of applicants and was awarded a $30,000 grant from the National Fitness Campaign to build a modern, outdoor Fitness Court® with a supporting mobile app.

Each of those items and more were on the menu when a select group of SUNY Old Westbury students participated in the Supper Club, an initiative by the campus’ dining provider, Chartwells, to unite students for memorable meals that blend sophistication with nostalgia and foster engaging conversations and meaningful connections.

The fare for the spring 2025 Supper Club featured a “surf and turf” vibe with steak and lobster prepared by the Chartwells team. Chartwells associates served as hosts for this elevated dining experience.

The Fitness Court features seven different functional training stations that provide a full-body workout to adults of all ability levels. Featuring weather-resistant bodyweight equipment, the Fitness Court is located outside the Campus Center building and is available for year-round use.

Students also were joined by University President Timothy Sams and other members of his leadership team for the event.

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Athletics Athletics debuts new brand After many months of research, design and collaboration, the Athletics Department announced its new brand, which was revealed in September 2024 at a launch event hosted for student-athletes, coaches and administration.

The Panthers’ new brand now includes primary, secondary and alternative logos along with word marks and team specific logos. The goal of the effort was to better illustrate the intensity that Panther student-athletes demonstrate on and off the field.

Athletics collaborated with Stronghold Studios which was founded by Rob Hopkins, a graduate of the SUNY system.

The Old Westbury brand grew from one of Hopkins’ class projects.

Women’s Flag Football to begin SUNY Old Westbury announced the addition of women’s flag football to its lineup of intercollegiate athletics programs, with competition expected to being in spring 2026.

The addition comes in response to the dramatic increase in popularity of flag football across Long Island, and the nation.

Old Westbury will be among six institutions to compete in the fast-growing sport in the Skyline Conference.

The women’s flag football program will compete at the club level in Spring 2026 before transitioning to varsity status in Spring 2027.

Head Coach earns 450th career victory Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bernard Tomlin won the 450th contest of his career during the 2024-2025 season. Since joining Old Westbury in 2001, he has amassed 329 wins, becoming the all-time leader in program history.

His long tenure at Old Westbury has included leadership that brought the Panthers to their first-ever NCAA tournament in 2004, and they then returned in 2016. For his success at Old Westbury, he has been named three times as the Skyline Conference Coach of the Year and in 2013 was named the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by D3hoops.com.

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Panther honored with Skyline Conference’s inaugural Elite 19 Award Liam Dall’24/’25, received the inaugural Skyline Conference “Elite 19 Award” during the conference’s 2024 golf championships.

The Skyline’s Elite 19 Award is presented to the studentathlete with the highest cumulative grade point average competing in each of the Skyline’s 19 championships.

As the honoree for men’s golf, Dall was recognized for compiling a 4.0 grade point average as a Business Administration major and M.S. in Taxation student.

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2024 - 2025

University Leadership SUNY Old Westbury College Council

of Academic Affairs

Ms. Mili Makhijani, Chair Ms. Melissa Archbold Rev. Dr. Phillip E. Elliott Dr. Nicolette Fiore-Lopez Mr. William A. Hohauser Ms. Cania Infante Ms. Martha Maffei Ms. Natalie Malatino (Student Representative) Ms. Theresa A. Regnante Mr. Scott D. Reich

Mr. Gary Levanti Interim Director, School of Professional Studies

University President’s Cabinet Dr. Timothy E. Sams President

Dr. Cristina Notaro Assistant Provost for Student Success Dr. Duncan Quarless Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Advancement Ms. Lisandra Ramos Special Assistant to the President, Administration & Initiatives Dr. Jo-Ann Robinson Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff

Dr. Kyle Anderson Chair, Faculty Senate (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Ms. Martha M. Santana Vice President for Business & Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Dr. Antonia DiGregorio Dean of the Library

Dr. Stephanie Schneider Chair, Faculty Senate (Spring, Summer)

Dr. Randall M-J Edouard Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students

Dr. Shalei Simms Dean, School of Business

Ms. Patricia Hardaway, J.D. Interim Executive Director, Human Resources

Dr. Diana Sukhram Dean, School of Education

Dr. Michael Kavic Associate Provost

Dr. Bryan Terry Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing

Mr. Michael G. Kinane Vice President for Communications & University Relations

Ms. Angela Wambugu Cobb Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Dr. David J. Lanoue Provost and Senior Vice President

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Dr. Cheryl Wilson Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

www.oldwestbury.edu

State University of New York at Old Westbury P.O. Box 210 Old Westbury, New York, 11568-0210